I bounce the club and kink my back knee. Once I do I am thinking of my lead shoulder. I am doing this to not start from a static position. I am okay with you doing either of these things. I just don’t like a forward press. People tend to press it too far forward de-lofting their clubs.

I get what you’re saying for the full backswing to turn your shoulders 90°. when you hinge first for your short pitch shots how far do you feel your turn before you say you are set and ready to to turn your hips to start the downswing. In other words for other lesser shots when do you know enough coil has taken place? Thanks again for the great lessens!

Paul,Backswing and Downswing are connected to leg work:left knee pointing back in backswing ,right knee pointing left in downswing .
These movements are ot apparent in YOUR own swing ,but are very pronounced with some players ,
JIM FURYK has an unothodox swing ( Inverted loop) but demonstrates a lot OF leg movement .Hé showed it brilliantly in the BRIDGESTONE INTERNATIONAL.
Do you disapprove leg work ?

Leg work is important. I like them stable going back. Your shoulders move the move. Why would you move your legs going back other than them following the rotation fo the shoulders? If you move to much you have not torque. In the through swing I have taught numerous downswing triggers. All of which have you moving your legs and hips. This is one of my main concepts.

No. The are powerless. This means your body rotation is moving your arms. You are hinging due to the wrists being loose. When working on these things in the beginning you may be feeling the arms and working on certain positions. This is advisable as you master them. Once mastered, then you are focusing on coiling and uncoiling your body to hit the ball.

Greetings Coach Thanks for the reply In my back swing my left heal does not come off the ground but my knee moves slightly inward /In watching your back swing i can’t tell through your pants if your knee moves. It does not look like it moves.

Relating to set up I often feel misaligned and my backswing trigger is replaced with shuffling my feet into a new Iposition that causes an even worse alignment. I use a reference point (i.e. blade of grass, tee marker , divot, etc as a point when lining up. Using your alignment video for set up (three balls) and going with it can I be assured that the ball with a proper swing will go in the desired direction. From a 9-13 handicap I have always struggled with alignment which causes my stance to be open or closed resulting in swing compensations. You help is requested.

Well it seems like you are fidgeting around too much. You need to put down the alignment stick every practice session and even a home put down some tape or use some kind of line.

You set your feet, you check your knees, hips and shoulders so they are square. Then you carefully and methodically either waggle or stay in motion then take the club back. It is about repetition perfect positioning no matter how bad it feels.

Paul ,Brilliant reminder of a basic move .My trigger is to “push ” (You say “krank”)the left shoulder forwards (and evidently backwards ) while keeeping the axis of the body very stable .
Have you a video lesson as to which eye should look at the ball?

I’ve been working on something like this:
Set up and grip correct
Loose arms – really loose!
“left shoulder” (trigger for backswing)
“thumbs to the ear”
“right big toe” (trigger for downswing)
“touch the legs”
“touch the head”

I’ve gone through a bunch of others and sometimes get too much going in my head. Even the above is sometimes too much in my head.

Just curious what you do or have found with your students. Maybe it just needs to be a super simple thought sequence or none at all. Guess it just depends.

Mr MERRIT ,Your sequence is fine ,but it has to be ingrained in your body and in your mind so you don’t get boggled up with all these thougths.When I am at address ,I just think to where I want to send the ball

I’ve been trying to think these “swing thoughts” in my practice swing but then clear my mind, focus on the back of the ball and let the swing happen. Trying to unclutter the mind and keep it simple. (But not all that successfully.) So my question is this….

Do you actually think about your left shoulder as you take the club back, about pushing off your right foot as you start the downswing, etc. etc. when you’re playing? (as opposed to “at the range.”)

Yes, I think about the left shoulder to start the backswing. Yes, I think about pushing from the right instep. I also think about just letting the club go wherever it want to go. In other words, I try to not hit or help the shot in any way with my hands and arms. That’s it.

So you work on the pieces. Make them perfect. Then focus on your body and let it go. This would be the ultimate goal.